Bimbo's Initiation1931

One of the all-time-great commercial cartoon mixes of the surreal and the silly, this Fleischer Studios short featuring Betty Boop's canine friend Bimbo has been a longtime favorite amongst animators, cinephiles and lovers of the simply strange. Minding his own business while walking down the street, Bimbo is plunged without warning into a subterranean world of macabre funhouse perils by candle-headed secret society types who keep asking him "Wanna be a member?" Demented and dazzling, it features one heckuva climactic cameo by Ms. Boop herself. - Dennis Harvey

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If you look closely, at the 20 second mark, you'll see a very familiar-looking mouse locking down the manhole trap that Bimbo has tumbled down--yes, THAT mouse! That little gag is a great example of the rivalry between the Fleischer Brothers and Disney Studios, and of the sassy, streetwise sense of comedy that made their work distinctive. Dave Fleischer was one of the great innovators in early animation.

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If you look closely, at the 20 second mark, you'll see a very familiar-looking mouse locking down the manhole trap that Bimbo has tumbled down--yes, THAT mouse! That little gag is a great example of the rivalry between the Fleischer Brothers and Disney Studios, and of the sassy, streetwise sense of comedy that made their work distinctive. Dave Fleischer was one of the great innovators in early animation.

Sheer genius. I have no idea where these ideas come from, but put them in the context of the depression and the radio era and you realize how unbelievably creative these people are. It makes me want to do acid again!!! EVERYONE is sure to love this. Don't be a fool, watch it, and then watch it again.